If my Pap smear shows HPV, does it mean my husband cheated?

An abnormal Pap smear is NOT a sign of infidelity!

A Pap smear is a screening test. It identifies women who MIGHT have abnormal cervical cells. Therefore, an abnormal Pap smear means that you may have abnormal cells, but it is also possible that you do not. You need to have additional testing (colposcopy and biopsies) to determine whether you do have abnormal cells.

Second, a Pap smear is not a test for HPV. A Pap smear can detect cell changes that are often associated with HPV. There is a specific test for HPV, that detects the presence of the actual virus. This can be more reliable than looking for the cell changes.

Even if it turns out that you do have HPV, it could have been dormant in your body for years, perhaps even decades. You could have got it from a previous boyfriend, or you could have gotten it from your husband, unless he was a virgin before he met you. Men usually have no symptoms of HPV, so he would never know that he has it.

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